Review Fix chats with TANDM’s Maxine Beck-Sinderby discusses the band’s origin, goals and new single, “Earthworm.â€
Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?
Maxine Beck-Sinderby: Both Thomas and I (Maxine) have been playing music since we were kids, and both honed our instruments in early highschool (Thomas with drums in the Shaker Heights drumline, and myself in a highschool cover-band). In grade 11, Thomas moved to Toronto and joined my high school, where he soon also joined my band! We started to write some originals, and have been performing together ever since.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Beck-Sinderby: Our creative process all starts with lyrics. In my spare time I (Maxine) will sit down and write little lyrical lines here and there, and eventually a melody will form in my head. My job is to bring that melody to life through guitar and piano riffs and chords, and Thomas completes the track by setting the pace/rhythm of the song; as well as, composing any interesting components, such as guitar solos.
Review Fix: What inspires you?
Beck-Sinderby: Everyday life inspires us, especially personal experiences. We like to write both songs that can affect one’s emotions, but also songs that can make people think a little harder about specific difficulties. I (Maxine) believe that there are many circumstances that occur in the lives of others, that can be related to in these songs. Personally, I like to think that these are the songs I would have listened to, when I was going through hardships in my teenage/young adult life.
Review Fix: What does music mean to you?
Beck-Sinderby: Music means so much to us! It has been with us during the bad times, but has also brought joy into the good times! Music means “support” to us. It’s there to inspire us when we’re empty, to sit with us when we’re sad, and to dance with us when we are happy.
Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
Beck-Sinderby: Our music has an indie-pop feel in most songs; however we sometimes push to the edges of alternative rock. We often refer to ourselves as sounding similar to the likes of ALVVAYS, and Of Monsters and Men; and draw inspirations from The Black Keys, Foals, and Daughter. In early live performances our instrumentation was very minimal, shared only between the two of us, and therefore our music developed a signature sound of sweet vocals, catchy guitar riffs, and drums drums drums!
Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?
Beck-Sinderby: Drum solos, cover songs, and merch giveaways!!! We like to have fun!
Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?
Beck-Sinderby: Earthworm (2020 Remastered) is our response to the people who don’t believe music-making to be a professional career, or in a musician’s ability to succeed. The song was inspired from our personal experiences, having been asked “okay, I get that you’re into music, but what are you really going to do?” We believe that financial income should not be a reason to dismiss a passion as an unworthy career path. There is beauty and emotions that resonate from the arts, unlike anything else, that deserve recognition and respect.
Review Fix: What are your goals for the rest of 2020?
Beck-Sinderby: We have been working on many different music videos to accompany the new EP (available on Oct. 22)! We have already released three of them, and have the last two coming out in the next few months. Our goal for right now is to get our music heard and our videos seen.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Beck-Sinderby: The two of us have just graduated from York University’s music program this past fall. Therefore, without school in the picture, we have large amounts of free time to get serious about music-making! Although the pandemic has taken its toll on musicians, we have found ways to still get creative in songwriting, and in music-video making, which will definitely show up in the near future. We look forward to the future!
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